Today's News

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) — Democratic Rep. Martin Heinrich and Republican Heather Wilson won their parties’ nomination for New Mexico’s open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, jumping immediately from quiet primaries into what promises to be a tough, expensive and closely watched national race.
Heinrich defeated state Auditor Hector Balderas. Heinrich had 59 percent with most of the expected Democratic vote counted, while Wilson easily defeated Las Cruces businessman Greg Sowards for the GOP nomination with 70 percent.
With Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman retiring after 30 years, New Mexico is expected to become a national battleground as Republicans seek to regain one of New Mexico’s two Senate seats and control of the Senate.

The second weekend in June features ChamberFest, a community event showcasing Chamber of Commerce member merchants, businesses and organizations. With food, live music, a car show, fashion show, giant sand pile, bubble pit and other family entertainment, there’s something for just about everyone.
ChamberFest will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday in downtown Los Alamos, on Central Avenue between 15th and 20th streets, down MainStreet to the Roundabout.
Chamber members invite the public to visit their booth and learn more about their businesses. More than 55 businesses and organizations will participate either from their storefronts or from one of the many booths that will be located around Central Park Square.

The League of Women Voters will have Greg Fisher, Los Alamos’ Economic Vitality administrator, as the guest speaker at the League of Women Voters Lunch with a Leader at 11:45 a.m. June 14.
The luncheon will be at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center, 3540 Orange St. (small building across from the back of the high school). Ruby K’s will provide lunch.
When RSVPing, you will be able to order the sandwich or salad you would like to have. Chips, pickles, and cookies will accompany the meal and water will be provided.
The total cost will be just $12, which includes tax and gratuity.
Fisher has worked in numerous communities doing just what he plans to do in our community.

Thursday
One of the activities that occur during the Los Alamos Relay For Life is a Bird House Auction featuring the artistic talents of local artists. A special preview of — and early bidding for — the bird houses will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. today and Friday at Los Alamos National Bank. The American Cancer Society’s Los Alamos Relay for Life will be at Ashley Pond June 15 and 16. A free dinner for cancer survivors and caregivers will be at 5 p.m. at the Betty Ehart Senior Center on June 15. RSVP Susan Brockway at susbrockway@gmail.com or 505-690-4496 to attend the dinner.

SANTA FE — During our recent stay in Maui, I routinely bought the little newspaper printed on the island. It carried local news and a few Associated Press stories from the mainland.
One of those few AP stories that made it into the Maui News was about Hobbs winning a competition for the development of a nearby $400 million city with no people.
I remembered reading about this deal before. Someone was trying to talk a city up north, maybe Santa Fe, into entering the competition for a $200 million research city to test next-generation technology.

Last week we looked at highlights of the 2012 legislative session, through the policy eyes of the Legislative Council Service. This week it’s the money, thorough the eyes of the Legislative Finance Committee.
Planning spending means building the budget. The job starts with the spending expected in a given budget year, say, Fiscal Year 2012, which ends June 30. That base is matched against expected revenue for the following year, FY 13.
For FY 13, the money will come into the general fund, the state’s main font for spending, from sales taxes (43 percent), income taxes (individual and business), energy (16 percent), investments (16 percent) of the money from energy, and from “other” (four percent).

Piñon Park Pool is hosting water aerobics classes this summer.
Classes are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:45-8:35 a.m. in White Rock. They are taught by instructor Lori Edmonds-Boone.
All interested students are welcome to take part. Price for participation is $5 for pool members, $6 for nonmembers. For more information, call Edmonds-Boone at 660-0246.

Sean Reardon was the top local finisher in this year’s Great Southwest Invitational Track and Field meet.
Los Alamos High School had five athletes compete in the meet, which was held at the University of New Mexico Track and Field Complex in Albuquerque May 31-June 2. The meet includes some of the top regional prep athletes from the southwestern United States.
Reardon, one of Los Alamos’ elite distance runners, finished seventh in the boys 1,500 meter event at the GSW meet. Reardon, who pulled off an upset victory at the state track and field meet in the 1,600 meters this year, finished the 1,500 in a time of 4 minutes, 11.66 seconds.
That race was won by Spencer Haik of Missouri, who clocked a 4:04.09.